Lange House and how we can help local schools
This column includes two completely different subjects, so please bear with me as I jump from one to the other without a smooth transition.
Every now and again I like to put a spotlight on people in our community who are genuinely great folks that our community is lucky to have.
One of those people is Lange House. If you don’t know who she is, she’s best known (to me) as the super fit lady at the YMCA who teaches classes there. Her official title was actually Wellness Director. Let me first say that although I’ve known Lange for about a year now, I’m embarrassed to say I have absolutely no clue how to pronounce her first name. I thought it was pronounced “LANG” but then I’ve heard MANY people say “LANE” ... and for some reason I’ve never just asked her how to say it.
Either way, she is a phenomenal person. Here’s why. I got to know her as a spin instructor at the Y. She taught early morning classes and on some mornings she’d teach the spin class I attended. For those who don’t know, spin is basically just sitting on a fancy stationary bike while an instructor plays music and coaches you through the workout. You don’t go anywhere but it’s great cardio and you’re soaked with sweat at the end of it.
Anyhow, from the moment I met her, I realized Lange is one of those people who radiates positivity and kindness. She is ALWAYS smiling and always has a kind word for everyone. Y’all, she has to get up at the crack of dawn to be at the gym to teach these early classes and she still has a wonderful attitude the entire time. It really makes a difference to me and to others to see her smiling when we get to the gym.
I know it seems like a small thing to be impressed by someone simply being positive, but at a time when negativity and ill will pervade our society, it’s refreshing and heartwarming to know that there are people right here in our community like Lange who exude gentleness and who make those around her feel comfortable and at ease.
After 10 years of being the Wellness Director at the Y, Lange is taking on a new job as the Wellness Specialist at Garner and Glover. So she’s still in town doing what she’s passionate about, but it still feels like a loss knowing she won’t be teaching spin class on the mornings I’m there. I don’t think she realizes just how much her attitude, energy and kindness have impacted people.
As y’all can probably imagine I’m a grumpy, miserable troll first thing in the morning. But Lange has the ability to soften even the most jaded and illtempered
of us simply with her smile and her kindness.
If you know Lange, tell her how special she is. And if you don’t know her I hope you get the chance to meet her. She’s truly a bright light in our community and Rome is lucky to have her.
And please find out how she pronounces her name.
Switching gears to a broader topic, I saw this posted on the Facebook Page of Bobby Walker, the Director of Community Tennis at the Rome Tennis Center. The post said “Everyone should contact one teacher and ask — what can I get you for your room that your school can’t pay for? Or can I buy school supplies for one of your students? I will be doing this tomorrow. Teachers need our encouragement.”
I thought that was a really cool idea. I have so many friends who are teachers and it saddens me when they tell me about supplies that they don’t have for their classrooms or about kids who can’t afford basic school supplies. And unfortunately many of our teachers spend their own money to make sure their classrooms are filled with the things OUR children need to learn and grow. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen teachers take money from their own pockets to buy items and products you would hope a school would provide.
If we all followed Bobby’s advice, we could make a difference in classrooms across Rome and Floyd County. Contact a teacher you know or a school near you or a school your child attends. Find out if there’s anything that a particular classroom really needs. It could be art supplies, it could be props for drama class, it could be poster board, it could be books or markers. Or perhaps there’s a particular student who needs help getting his or her school supplies. You might be able to buy someone a backpack or a new pair of shoes. Some of us can help a little and some can help a lot. But if we all did what we were able to do, I promise it would make a world of difference — even if it’s just to one teacher or one kid or one classroom.
And this doesn’t have to be a personal project of yours. You could get your youth group or church or office coworkers or even your neighbors to “sponsor” a classroom.
Remember that these are OUR kids in OUR schools. It’s not someone else’s problem. Local teachers are busting their butts trying to educate OUR children. The least we can do is make sure they have the tools they need to do that.